The Shrimp Tank

[plankton]

It might cause an ammonia spike, but I don't think a ph spike.......

[jacksdad]

Quick update: Its almost 5 months since I started this tank, with 10 shrimp, and 12 Neon Tetra. I lost 2 shrimp and then realised the fish were troubling the rest, so removed them. Straight away, the shrimp responded! They were in view all the time, no more hiding from predatory fish, and they soon started breeding. Before long I had babies, quite a few as well from 2 berried shrimp.
I've just had a good long look in the tank, there must be 70 shrimp now, and I've spotted 5 berried, all the 'new' generation by the size of them.
I've had a slight increase in pH but its stayed around 6.0, water is 22.5 deg C and quite soft, ammonia and nitrites zero and nitrates always around 5-10.
I feed them with shrimp discs and Bacter AE every other day, and there's always a Catappa leaf for them, and occasionally I add fish algae pellets.
I'm amazed how well they have developed, had a couple of problems but always solved with the help of the people on here!

[jacksdad]

Had another good watch this morning: I've got EIGHT berried ladies!
This is my first venture into keeping shrimp, and I'm totally amazed at how well they are doing. I followed the advice on here, and from Si4geckos who supplied the initial stock, plus I've been vigilant with the tank maintenance, mainly doing 3-daily small water changes, so it remains the same all the time, just clean.
I kept seeing 'difficult' everywhere when I was researching keeping CRS, if you fancy getting some don't be put off, if you follow some basic rules, you will do fine!

[Martinspuddle]

Had another good watch this morning: I've got EIGHT berried ladies!

It's great when you see this happening in your aquarium, you know your doing something right and about then it dawns on you... what am I going to do with all of them?!

[Andys temperate tank]

Had another good watch this morning: I've got EIGHT berried ladies!
This is my first venture into keeping shrimp, and I'm totally amazed at how well they are doing. I followed the advice on here, and from Si4geckos who supplied the initial stock, plus I've been vigilant with the tank maintenance, mainly doing 3-daily small water changes, so it remains the same all the time, just clean.
I kept seeing 'difficult' everywhere when I was researching keeping CRS, if you fancy getting some don't be put off, if you follow some basic rules, you will do fine!

My dad started a 25L cube about 6 weeks ago. 4 cherry red shrimp and 4 guppies. Hes had 2 lots of babies from the shrimp now. They are bloody everywhere but he is buzzing with them. They get fed cucumber, carrots, and God knows what else.

[piker]

They are not difficult,just need the right stable parameters.
There must be thousands of shrimp now in the north west from these 10

[jacksdad]

My lfs is interested in taking some, as they are just starting on shrimp selling...until the Zombie Dawn arrived...
They are also taking my platy babies, but these are pretty worthless, CRS are worth decent money even at trade price.

[piker]

What's the lfs called?

[jacksdad]

Quick update!
7 months since I started with 10 shrimp off Si, I lost 2, and now those 8 are about 150! Today spotted a lot of new babies, when I switched on the tank light this morning I was greeted with sponge filters full of little ones, I counted about 60 on the sponges alone, with more in the Java moss, I grabbed my phone and took a few pics, but lots had already headed for cover once the light came on.




I'll have lots to sell soon...

[jacksdad]

Today I received my new electric filter
Dennerle Nano XL corner filter, with baby shrimp protector screen, from Pro-shrimp cost £26: the baby screen thing is on sale elsewhere from £7.99 to £18.99, this one cost a fiver!
Also trying a tub of Dennerle Shrimp King Baby food/powder, to go with the Bacter AE
The Dennerle filter is top quality, it just feels really well made and fits together perfectly. I was using a small filter with micro fleece wrapped round the inlet but still rescued 4 babies from the internal sponges. I'm still using an air powered filter which has 2 sponges and 2 tubs full of ceramic tube pieces but it couldn't keep up on its own.
The water is back to crystal clear once again, and lots of babies are sat on the screen feeding away.